I have been patient long enough, swore I would never publicly bash either F/R or Couch's RV Nation:

We had the power converter go bad within the first year of ownership.

We were actually about to set out on our first RV adventure after many personal/family setbacks since purchasing our Sierra 323FK BRAND NEW (2012) from Couch's Rv Nation in Hamilton, Ohio on 1/13/2012

I called Curtis Carpenter at Couch's, explained the problem, he said he'd have to get approval from F/R Sierra division's Jeff Johnson (which he did) for us to get the converter replaced asap by a NON F/R RV dealer.

I was told that Jeff Johnson OK'd the repairs and even told Curtis Carpenter that he wanted to see us get on the road asap.

I was told that I would have to pay out of pocket for these repairs and be reimbursed by F/R Sierra division.

This was August 15, 2012
As of Today Wednesday March 13, 2013 I have NOT received my reimbursement.

I first sent the receipts as requested to Curtis Carpenter at Couch's via snail mail, waited 12 weeks before I contacted Curtis who then told me he'd never received anything from me.

I then made copies again and sent via an attachment to an Email.

Curtis received these and forwarded it all to F/R Sierra Division.
I was told I would have my reimbursement asap.

I waited patiently for anouther 12 weeks then contacted Curtis again, this time he said F/R wanted the bad converter, I sent the converter the next day.

I waited about 2 weeks and contacted Curtis again-this time he said they at Couch's had checked the converter and it indeed tested bad, he also told me that F/R wanted the converter, he sent it to them.

THEN F/R told Curtis that the converter had tested good.

Curtis told me that F/R does this all the time and he would get my reimbursement regardless.

Days, weeks, and months have gone by now, and still I'm getting the run-around by F/R and Couch's.

We DID save about $6k on the price of our TT by buying at Couch's and making the 2200 mile round trip from Florida to Ohio to pick it up, but the customer service we have received to this point from Couch's and F/R at this point when its time to upgrade we will look elesewhere at anouther manufacturer other than F/R and definily anouther dealer than Couch's.

These folks at the various RV manufacturers out in Indiana were among the first to go on the tv news and cry about loosing their jobs when the economy started to tank in 2008 and THEY thought the world owed them a living.....may be they should have thought more about quality control and customer service before all this happened-I for one sure don't feel sorry for any of them who lost their jobs when they installed the wrong BTU A/C unit in our TT and built a wall crooked between the bathroom and bedroom cousing mis-allignment and the sliding door to be scratched by a fastener in the process--This brand new TT shouldn't ever have been allowd to leave their factory this way, but it was!

Bottom line: Stay far, far away from anything that F/R makes, and also far, far away from Couch's RV Nation in Hamilton, Ohio--There is NO quality customer service, and NO quality control between them.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. You've been more patient than I would have been. In reading your post it sounds like all of your communications have been with the RV dealership. Have you gotten in touch with Forest River directly? If you haven't talked with Forest River directly I think that would be the next course to take.

get a trailer life magazine and write into there action line they will put it in the magazine or will at least get in touch with forest river and the dealer and beleve me it will not take long for this to be taken care of they hate it. oh by the way i am from ohio so go buckeyes and bo to the gaters

I HAVE tried to contact F/R directly, NO ONE will return my calls-Jeff Johnson is the worst, I wish they would grow a set and just attempt to tell me to f&%# myself, at least that would be communication!!

I am starting to believe that Couch's (Jeff Couch, owner) buys these RVs soo cheap that he doesn't get any warranty and gambles on NOT having to re-pay for any repairs.......

I HAVE spoken personally to the allmighty OZ (Jeff Couch) himself when were in the process of ordering the new TT and when it came in minus the desk chair that the brochure clearly depicts he tried to give us some crap chair from anouther manufacturer that didn't match--JEFF is a slick, fast talking "used car salesman" type person.
His Sales Manager Brannon isn't much better, HE was involved in the dealings with my converter and when the poop got deep he bailed on his promisses and communication with me.
I have to wonder if we would have been treated differently if we had bought a $5000.000 piece of equipment over the $30k TT we bought or if Couch's & F/R traet all their customers this way.
We love out Sierra 323FK, we DID get to our very first camping trip over the Christmas holidays about 2 hours from home, we enjoyed our trip, but unfortunitly we are very sour now about our experiance with F/R & Couch's
We ger Trailer Life mag, I never thought about writing them, I just reluctantly sent Curtis Carpenter an Email and told him that I really didn't want to but that I wasn't far away from hiring an attorney to help me resolve this.

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. You've been more patient than I would have been. In reading your post it sounds like all of your communications have been with the RV dealership. Have you gotten in touch with Forest River directly? If you haven't talked with Forest River directly I think that would be the next course to take.

As Oakman has mentioned, contacting the Sierra division of Forest River directly is the best course of action. The phone number listed in the Sierra brochure is 574 389 4600 and you have a contact name. Hopefully this can be resolved.

Have any of you folks successfully talked with anyone at F/R?? I HAVE tried calling them and when I can get through the person who answers the phone sounds like it is a great bother to even answer the phone, then gives my JEFF JOHNSON'S phone number-JEFF HAS NEVER, EVER called me back, I hope he is able to sleep well at night and still accept his paycheck each week, because I personally don't think he deserves either!

The cost of a lawyer would probably be throwing good money after bad. The consumer advocates are probably the best way to go.
I could be wrong but it seems as though you are letting this issue get to you way too much. As someone who has had a bad experience with one of our previous trailers I’d like to offer up this one piece of advice. If direct contact with Forest River hasn’t helped and the consumer advocates can’t help, let it go. Believe me, I know that’s hard to do but if you don’t, you won’t enjoy RVing as much as you could.
I’m sure you don’t like that piece of advice but I do speak from a bad experience myself. I hope your issue gets resolved to your satisfaction but with the camping season coming up it’s better to move forward and enjoy your Sierra.

I understand your frustration, but there could have been ways to have helped things along. 1) I wouldn't have waited 12 weeks (3 months) to find out Couch's never received your receipts. 2) Then another 12 weeks (3 months) to follow up on the converter. I believe the ball had been dropped by all parties. I know there is a lot of red tape with FR, you just have to be diligent. I bought from Couch's and have been statisfied with their service and in handling my warranty issues. I also stay on top of things, without being too pesty. I also don't believe you can group all FR products into your situation. Again, I do understand the amount of frustration you are going through, and I don't mean to belittle that, but I wouldn't have wasted 6 months waiting. I do hope all works out well for you, and I do believe Curt will get you reimbursed.

I just spoke to a manager AT the SIERRA division (didn't get his name) he said acording to their records a check was sent (to me) on 2/27/13
I would have thought a check if sent from Indiana back over 2 weeks ago would have gotten here before now, and that Curtis Carpenter at Couch's would have been in the loop and advised me that the check was on its way...
-seems by what the Sierra manager told me that my reimbursement check DIDN'T go through Couch's as he was planning on/thought.

I had good luck at Jeff Couch's when I bought my rig, however I knew like I think you might have that they are wholesales and sale cheap. If your looking to be more less wine and dined or receive great service you have to spend that 6k. I knew that so they ordered my rig I all ready knew what I wanted and when I went to get it was all ready to go, and they gave me a great walk around. I paid them and left. That was all I was expecting from them.

You should have called Sierra direct about that and how they handle it is on them. Each Forest River line also acts separately so if they were dragging there feet or not wanting to pay its them who is the problem. But like what was said you waited a while before checking on things so I don't think it fair to bash anyone.